CITY leaders are rethinking plans to beam Council House debates on to a big screen in Chamberlain Square.

Frustrated councillors want to commandeer the giant BBC-owned screen because members of the public no longer turn up to their monthly council meetings.

But their idea of having a trial run at reaching out to the public during a showpiece "state of the city" debate later this month has run into problems.

Sound equipment in the council chamber is so old it is almost obsolete.

An £80,000 revamp will be needed to lay the proper acoustic foundations to launch Town Hall TV.

Officials also estimate it will cost around £1,750 a debate for camerawork, a microwave link and other expenses.

Deputy city Labour leader Ian Ward told his colleagues:"They don't believe there will be any public interest in watching council debates whatsoever. "But they would be prepared to record it, edit it down add some commentary and screen it at some future time."

Monthly council meetings have taken on less significance since the city adopted a cabinet system of government.

Critics say the move has left the city council, as a body, virtually powerless and what little public interest there was in the proceedings has evaporated.